Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Stolen Identities and Bank Fraud

Dennis Antonio Bonner, 66, was sentenced to 48-months in prison for a week-long crime spree in March 2023, where he accessed, or attempted to access, the bank accounts of two victims with accounts at First National Bank.    

“Identity theft causes financial and emotional wreckage for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our economic crimes team is determined to stop these callous crooks and put them behind bars where they belong.”

Bonner, a resident of New York, travelled to First National Bank branches in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina to withdraw money from the personal bank accounts of his victims.  Bonner presented a fraudulent driver’s license in order to access the victim’s accounts.  In total, he withdrew $38,500 from the victims’ bank accounts.  He attempted to withdraw an additional $20,000 at a First National Bank Branch in Nags Head, North Carolina where he was ultimately stopped and arrested by local law enforcement.   

Bonner previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in September 2023.  He admitted to working with unindicted third parties to get fraudulent identification cards made and gain access to the personal identifying information and bank account information of the two individuals with accounts at First National Bank.    

Bonner has previously been convicted and sentenced for similar theft and impersonation crimes.  Since 2011, he’s faced charges in more than seven separate states for financial crimes, including identity theft, forged instruments, impersonation, possession of counterfeit identity cards, credit card theft, larceny, and forgery. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.  Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00159.

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